Container



May l, 1951 R. T. FRIEDERS ET AL CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April '7, 1947 57m J/ l @y i492 y d? mmf f M May 1, 1951 R. T. FRlr-:DERs ETAL I CONTAINER 2 Smeets-sheet 2 Filed April '7, 1947 QZ 5%, M

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITEDI STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Application April 7, 1947, Serial No. 739,872

. 4 Claims. (o1. 229-36) This invention is concerned with improvements in containers formed from paper board or other suitable iiexible material comprising a box and and a cover which is adapted to telescope over the open end of the box.

Containers made of paper board or similar flexible material and comprising a box part and a cover part adapted to close over the open end of the box part have not heretofore been used in certain packaging operations lbecause of a lack of satisfactory means for retaining the cover part in ixed closed position after the container is filled and closed so that the cover part will not fly open during normal handling of thefilled container. This disadvantage has restricted the use of this type of container particularly in the packaging of foods or the like where the container is iilled with the product and after it is closed is subjected to freezing or other processing which involvesfurther handling of the filled container.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved container formed from paper board or similar flexible material comprising a box part and a telescoping cover` part and having means associated with the box part and cover part thereof which is operative to retainthe cover part in closed telescoped position over the box part and to resist opening movement of the cover part.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container formed from suitable iiexible material having a box part and a cover part hinged thereto and adapted to telescope over the open end of the box part, which is provided with means associated with the box and cover parts adapted to retain the cover part in closed telescoped position so as to prevent any undesired opening thereof and which nevertheless may be easily and quickly opened and closed, which also is so constructed that the cover part may be swung completely away from the open end of the box part to facilitate the insertion or removal of the contents into and from the box part.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container formed from suitable iiexible material having a box part and a cover part which is adapted to telescope over the open end of the box part and means associated with the box and cover par'ts for retaining the parts in closed relation after the box has been lled and the cover positioned thereover wherein the box and the` cover are formed so that they may be initially collapsed into a relatively flat condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure forming -a re-'closeable Container 2 made of flexible material which is attractive and neat in appearance, which is strong and sturdy in construction, which is serviceable in use, and which may be economically manufactured.

rIlhese and other objects will be apparent from the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank which has been cut and scored preparatoryl to vforming a container embodying the principles of the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of a hinge cover container formed from the 'blank shownin Fig. 1 in set up and partially closed condition; x Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completely closed container;

Fig. 4 is a section takenon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, to an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, to an enlarged scale; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the container in partially collapsed and inverted condition; i

Figs. '7 and 8 are perspective views of the top'I and bottom, respectively, of a modified form of container embodying the principles of the invention; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the container shown in Figs. 7 and 8 in completely closed condition;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9, to an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 10, to an enlarged scale.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, of the drawing, there is illustrated a container of the hinged cover type having incorporated therein the principles of the invention.

- The blank I0, illustrated in Fig. 1, from which the container is constructed, is preferably formed from'paper board or similar material. It comprises a bottom box forming portion II and a top or -cover forming portion I2. The bottom forming. portionII is characterized by a bottom Iwall panel I3 outlined by score lines I4, I5, I6 and I'I. The score line I4 separates the bottom wall panel from a relatively narrow front wall panel I 8 which is provided with end aps I9 and 20 defined by the fold or scorelines 2i and 22 and separated by cutting lines 23 and 24 from end forming panel portions 25 and 26.

The cutting lines 23 and 24 have relatively short oiset portions 2'I and 28 at the outer edges of th blank which form on the adjacent end wall panels 25 and 26 the tabsor ears 29 and 30.

The end wall panels 25 and 26 are provided with end flaps 3l and 32 which are cut from the rear wall forming panel 33 along cutting lines 34 and 35 and separated from the top forming portion I2 of the blank I0 along the cutting lines 35 and 31. Score lines 38 and 39 separate the end flaps 3l and 32l from the'fend wallpanels25-and25. The end wallfp'anls' 251a'nd 2B=are' provided with diagonal score lines 40 and 4I which are utilized when the container is folded into collapsed condif tion.

The rear wall forming panel 33 is dened' by the fold or score lines I andf42 andithecutting lines 34 and 35. The scorelinel If5'f separates the panel 33 from the panel I3'nd -the'score line=142 separates it from the cover forming portion I2 of the blank.

The cover` forming portion 2 f the' blank' IJ is characterized by a top wall forming pane1f`43 which is dened by the lscore lines 42, 44, 45 and 45. Thefscore linef42ffseparates-theftopi panel .'43 fromtlierearwall forming panel 33-ofthebox formingfpo'rtion I I? and constitutesV the hingeline which Tconnectsrthev cover part YVand: the: box part of the fcontainerfinhinged relation. -The score Iine f44 separates .l the top gfwalL panell z43 from the front'wall-formingpanel 41. ."Therscore` linesf-45 and F4Ifseparate'y theftopfwalltpanel I43 from the end' Twall'-forming.v panelsAL 481'andf49.

.Thefendfwall-.panels4 484 andf49l are provided with endfflapsiSU' and :5 I "which are separated. therefrom-.by the '-vscore..y lines C52 randy 53, respectively. Theend'fwall'panelsf 48: and-'14 9. gare; providedwith diagonal: fold-A 'ori sco'elines .f 54'? and.A 5 5 which are utilized when the containeris.foldedzintol'collalp'sedfscond-iton.

The end iiaps 50 and 5| are'separated-from the front "Wallf panelf--41 V:bytci'ltIk fout portionsea 6 and 51. The cutting lines.on.'thef-inside.of the 'endliafps 50 and' 5 Icare. Aprovidedavith offset; :por-

tions which form shoulders^-.58.f.andf59-'on the flaps.

WhenVA the` container.: isi set-unas illustrated: in Fig. 2; the end;wallfpanels 25, 26:and frontand rearfside wa-l1 panels? I8 Y-afnd v33=have been folded upwardly yabout' Vthe-.scorer lines f I6; I1, I4fa'nd I5 to provide a box part having upstanding front and rearfwa-lls ande end-walls. Thef.frontfsidef-wall lI8f-is 'connected to-ftfhe-end walls 25"?and 2li-by the end flaps I9 and 20 which have been rfolded inwardly about thefscore-linesZ hand.'A 22 and'secured to the respectivecend f-walls125-and 26-by means of adhesive asindicatedlatfand 68^ ('Eig. 1). The end walls 25-.and 26.are:secured -to the rear-rwalli 33 byftheVfiapsf'3I and 32 whichf'have been folded .inwardly about 'thef 'score lines. 38 and 39 :and adhesively' secured. ytowthe' rear' Walll 33.

The top wall 43 of the cover; part ofthe container isl -hingedly-- connected to2 the rear wall-' 33 ofthebox partalong the -fold=line 42. End panels 48 v i and 49i have beenffolded downwardlyV4 about the-score lines-45 and -469 Afto. form-fthe end 4walls of thefcover and the'rend flaps'f58 and5| -have been -folded Pinwardlyabout Athe 'score -lines 52 and 53 and adhesively/secured to' the 'inside-of lthe front Wall-panelf41-whichI hasbeen' folded downwar-dly about -thefscore line -44 to 'form the front wall of the cover.

I order to v4collapse 'the container l. for' shipment the end-walls 48s andf49 Vof the cover part are foldedfinwardly aboutthe fold lines-45 and 4S vThis. results in*V thatportion-f` eac-h of rxthe ende panels 48 and n 49. whichisfforward .of the oblique-fold lines .I 54: and .-55. .being.'fo1ded.nout

-wadly or backwadlyl about thefoldlinesf SIL-arid 55 and into face-to-face relation with the adjacent outside portion of the end wall pulling the front wall 41 down about the fold line 44 into collapsed relation with the inside of the top wall 43.

5 The end Walls 25 and 26 of the box part are folded inwardly about the score lines I6 and I1 to bring thetportionthereof between--theoblique fold lines 4an`d 4I into face-to-facerlation with the bottom wall I3. Movement of the end walls 25 and do *.1 26e in this manner causes the flap members I9 and 2E to be brought into face-to-face relation with "theinside of the front wall I8, at the same time pullingthe front wall I8 downwardly about the foldline -I4 into ycollapsed relation on the bottom wallf; I3. 'Thamovement of the end walls 25 and f26ialsofplls the. rear wall 33 downwardly about the. fold line I5 into collapsed relation on the b'Ottm- 'Walll I3.

:Aslill'ustrated in Fig. 6, when the folding operation is completed the' front wall I8 of the bottompartis .folded .over in superimposed. relation on thebottomfwall I3. Thefront wall 41 ofthe cover-part is..folde'd over about the-line 44 rinto superimposedrelation on the-top wall 43. The bottom wall I3 and the rear wall arefolded aboutthe line I5 into superimposed relation. "The walls\33.and43. are then in extended relation and in.. substantially the sameplane, whilev the walls I3^and`41 arefolded over '.in Asubstantially.`.iia.t relationthereonwi'th the .wall lpositioned between walls `-I`3 arid.-43. .'Iniflde'd condition a largenumberof the containers may, of. course, be ..packaged. ina. small spacef'for shipment.

"-vhenfthe container is. setup Aand readyfor lling. "it isi in the oonditionlillustrated Fig.".2 except that-thel top or. cover. part'A is folded yback onlthe 4hinge .linev 42 out. of. the Way. to. avoid interference with thef'llingf theboxfpart of .the container. Due I to 'the .collapsed conditionin whichf .the container lis furni'shed, the box part tends to partially collapse until'it is'fille'd with the product beingpackaged The-.end walls-25 ard`2Il tend'. to" bow inwardly into.- partiallycollapsed. condition. .'.Howevelg Ias .thefbox partis filled the .end walls25 and 26 areIforce'd outwardly into. upstanding vertical position.

The abutment forming tabs`29 and-39 initially project'outwadly in'the plane oi" the end walls 25 and 26 arid. extend beyond the' forward face of the"`frontwall I8. I`When the' boxpart isilled, the container is closed by moving the cover'downlwardly'about-the hinger line 42 into'telescope'd relation' with the box part. The abutment tabs 29 and 39`are folded inwardly towards each other and the-- front wa'll' 4.1 of the cover is forced downwadly over the folded tabs 29'andY 30 until'v the tabsare positioned in' the upper forward corners f the cover with" their lower edges. El .and62 engaged' in abutting relation with the edges 58.and 59," respectively, of the wall connecting end. flaps 50 and'5l whichlare secured. on the inner face of 'the frontwall'41 of the cover. 'The inherent resiliency ofthe materialV vis sufficient to urge' the tabs 29 and 30 outwardly aboutthe verticalcorner' edges of the-box part which results in a snap action when the cover isi` forced down over the folded tabs 29 and.3.8, the' tabs tending to .snap into place to bring'their edges 6I and 62 in abutting engagement with Athe cooperating edges'58 ad'59 on nthe ap. members 50 and 5I.

When closed in the manner. described, the coverl is locked on the box part and will not` become looseywith thevordinary handling whichis incident' toV -furtherprocessing ofl the .lled-. container..= due. .tol the `interengagement of the. tabs s l 29 and 38 with the abutment edges 58 and 59. However, the cover may be pulled loose by applying sufficient force to overcoming the resistance of the tabs 29 and 38 and to snap the abutment edges 6| and 62 past the cooperating abutment edges 58 and 59 on the inside of the front Wall 41 of the cover.

A modied form of container is illustrated in Figs. 7 to ll, inclusive. This form of container comprises a box part 18 and a separate cover part 1|. The box part 10 is provided with a bottom wall 12, upstanding front and rear side walls 13 and 14 and end walls 15 and 16. The side walls 13 and 14 are formed with integral end connecting aps 11, 18 and 19, 88, respectively. Flaps 11 and 19 are adhesively secured to the upstanding end wall and flaps 18, 88 are adhesively secured to the end wall 16. The front and rear side walls 13 and 14 are provided with oblique score lines 8l and 82 to permit folding of the side walls inwardly to collapse the box apart into attened condition for shipment. 'Ihe end Walls 15 and 16 are each provided with a pair of projecting abutment tabs 83, 84 along their top edges, the tabs 83 and 84 extending outwardly from the outer faces of the front and rear walls 13 and 14.

The cover member of the container 1| consists of a top wall 85 and downwardly extending front and rear side walls 86, 81 and end walls 88 and 89. The end walls 88 and 89 are secured to the side walls 86 and 81 by means of integral flap connecting members 90 and 9| which are folded over and secured to the inside face of the respective side walls 86, 81. The connecting members 98 and 9| have cut-out portions which provide abutment edges 92, 93 which are spaced from the top wall 85, when in erected condition, a suiicient distance to receive in abutting engagement the abutment tabs 83 and 84 on' the end Walls 15 and 16 of the box part 18. The side Walls 86 and 81 of the cover 1I are provided with oblique fold lines 94 and 95 to permit these walls to be folded inwardly to collapse the cover of the container. The connecting members 98 and 9| vare not secured to the side walls 86 and 81 over their entire surface but only over the area between the oblique lines 94 and 95 and the vertical corners of the container so that the connecting members fold flatwise against the end walls 15 and 16, when the cover is collapsed, in the same manner as connecting ilaps I9 and 28 fold flatwise against the front wall in the hinged cover container.

In filling and closing this form of container the box part 18 is erected and lled. The cover 1| is unfolded from its collapsed condition and telescoped over the box part 18, the abutment tab members 83, 84 being folded or bent about the vertical corners of the box part 18 so that when the cover 1| is completely telescoped over the box part 18 the tabs 83, 84 snap past the abutment edges 92 and 93 of the flaps 98 and 9| on the inside faces of the cover walls 86 and 81 and engage their lower edges 95 and 96 with the edges 92 and 93, respectively, thereby locking the cover to the box part.

In the illustrated forms of the invention, paper board has been referred to as the preferred material for manufacturing the container with an adhesive means for securing the wall connecting flaps to the side or end walls. It is contemplated that other materials may be used and that the connecting aps may be secured to the respective container walls by any other securing means such as staples or the like. The details of construction vwhich have been shown and described are to be taken as illustrative only since other details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

We claim: l 1. A container formed from paper board material comprising a box part having front, rear and end wall panels and a cover part for said box part having top, front and end wall panels, said cover part being adapted to telescope over said box part to bring the front wall-panels of the box part and the cover part into juxtaposed relation, abutment elements extending from the end Wall panels of the box part adjacent the top edge of the front wall panel and adapted to be bent over Vto extend along the outside face of said front wall panel, and cooperating abutment' forming'elements positioned on the inside face ofthe front wall panel of the cover extending along said front wall panel in spaced relation to the top thereof, said abutment elements being wholly contained Within the cover part when the cover part is in closed position and being operative to automatically interengage to retain the cover part in closed position and prevent opening movement thereof.

2. A hinged cover container formed from paper board material comprising a box part having front, rear and end panels and a cover part for said box part having top, front and end panels, said top panel being hingedly connected to the rear panel of the box part and being adapted to telescope over said box part to bring the front panels of vthe box part and the cover part into juxtaposed relation, an abutment element extending from an end panel of the box partradjacent the top edge of the front panel and adapted to be bent over to extend along the outside face of said front panel, and an abutment element positioned on the inside face of the front panel of the cover extending along said front panel in spaced relation to the top thereof, said abutment elements being wholly contained within the cover part when the cover part is in closed position and being operative to automatically engage with each other to retain the cover part in closed position and prevent opening movement thereof.

3. A hinged cover container formed from paper board material comprising a bo-x part having front, rear and end wall panels and a cover part for said box part having top, front and end wall panels, said top panel being hingedly connected to the rear panel of the box part and being adapted to telescope over said box part to bring the front panels of the box part and the cover part into juxtaposed relation, an integral extension ap constituting an abutment element extending from an end wall panel of the box part adjacent the top edge of the front wall panel and adapted to be bent over to extend a relatively short distance along the outside face of said front wall panel, and an integral end wall panel connecting ap element secured on the inside face of the front wall panel of the cover and extending along said front Wall panel adjacent the top thereof, said connecting flap having a portion forming an abutment element spaced from the top of said front wall panel, said abutment elements being wholly contained within the cover part when the cover part is in closed position and being operative to automatically engage with each other to retain the cover part in closed position and to prevent opening movement thereof.

4. Ahinged cover container formedfrom paper boardmaterial comprising a box part having bottom, front, rear and side Walls and a cover part for said box part having top, front and side walls, said top being hingedly connected to the rear Wall of the box part and being adapted to telescope over `said box part to bring the front Walls of the box part and the cover part into juxtaposed relation, an integral extension ap extending from a side Wall of the box part adjacent the top edge o the front Wall and adapted to be bent over and extend a relatively short distance along the outside face of said iront wall, and an abutment element positioned on the inside face of the front wall of the cover` extending along said front wall adjacent the top thereof, said extension iap engaging said abutment element in locking relation when the container is lled and thecover part is in closed position and being operative to automatically retain the cover part in closed position and to prevent opening movement thereof under normal handling of the filled.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this Ipatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,160,643 Burel May 30, 1939 2,265,326 Stopper Dec. 9, 1941 2,284,959 Guyer et al. June 2, v194:2 2,369,385 Carruth et al Feb. 13, 1945v 2,373,977 Scherer Apr. 17, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 62,290 Australia Nov. 25, 1913 

